In this session, Chad Bond (Director of Strategy and Innovation at Zaizi) and Antonio Weiss (Senior Partner at The PSC and author of AI Demystified) come together for a practitioner-led conversation on how public sector organisations can move beyond generative AI hype and deliver practical, measurable impact.

Drawing on their combined experience working with central government, the NHS, and public sector agencies, Chad and Antonio share real examples of what has worked, what hasn’t, and why. Rather than focusing on tools or trends, the discussion centres on best practice approaches for applying AI responsibly in complex public service environments.

Key takeaways:

• What practical AI looks like in public services, beyond generative AI headlines
• Lessons learned from real AI delivery in government, including NHS surgical scheduling and Border Force freight scanning operations (ScanApp)
• How to move from tool-first experimentation to problem-first delivery

• Common reasons AI pilots stall in the public sector, and how teams can get them back on track
• How to balance innovation, risk, ethics and operational reality when deploying AI in live services

Speakers

• Chad Bond, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Zaizi
• Antonio Weiss, Author of AI Demystified